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| Sequoia and Kings are in reality one park linked by the General's Highway....we were advised yesterday by the ranger due to the construction/roadworks to access Kings via another route....this turns out to be a quiet and narrow but passable road that connects one farm/homestead to another, but it's good to get off of the main highways and see rural life.... |
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| This is the "entrance" to an amazing fallen sequoia on the General Grant Trail.....it fell in the late 1800's but is still very much the same as when photos were taken in the early 1900's.....Sequoia resist decay and can last for hundreds of years on the forest floor...this particular tree gave shelter to early construction crews & the cavalry horses....the cavalry protected the National Parks in the early days of the parks before the instigation of the Park Rangers....... |
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| There are props in places but very little signs of decay even after all of these years.....most sequoia have hollow centres as they age.... |
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| The fire damage side of the General Grant tree....all part of the ecology of the tree and the bark will eventually grow over the scar... |
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| The General Grant Tree....a larger circumference than General Sherman at the base but not as tall and the third biggest tree in the world... it is estimated to be 1,650 years old..... It is also the Nations Christmas Tree, dedicated in 1926 after a young girl commented that the tree would make a wonderful christmas tree...there is a dedication ceremony every year weather permitting at the tree.... |
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| Talking to Yorkieman is Frank the ranger and what a great character and so knowledgeable, a real gent and a credit to the National Parks Service....we spent a very pleasant time talking with him and learning more about these noble trees...... |
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| We got onto the subject of the rangers hats, not sure how but as I say he's a character, apparently the hats cost $80..... |
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| On along the General Grant Trail...... |
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| As I have already said it is so hard to describe these amazing trees.....it's not just the size....to us it should be on everyones bucket list... |
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| This pic and next are a "clump" of these majestic trees near the parking area.... |
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| After the Grant Trail we move on to various overlooks on route to the Big Stump picnic area for our lunch salad....again one of the joys of travelling and meeting people...we met a couple from Texas...he was born an Eastender, never did find out why his family moved to the US when he was very young but he was certainly a character...... |
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| Our last hike today is the 2 mile Big Stump loop trail which actually was very sad as the name of the trail is a clue...it's Sequoia stumps..... As with other Sequoia groves in the late 1800's these beautiful noble trees some that were 3000 years old were felled for the timber.......luckily for us all the conservationists worked hard to get them protected for us all.... |
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| This is the Mark Twain Tree stump, spared being made into fence posts but cut down in 1891....the 1350 year old tree was cut down to send slices of it's 16ft diameter trunk to be be displayed in New York and the Natural History Museum in London. It is reported that the people of New York did not believe the size and thought it was a Californian hoax.... |
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| It took a team of two men 13 days to fell this beautiful tree....... |
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| As they say in movies never work with children or animals....we walked away from the Mark Twain Tree and this little chap was on the trail showing us his rear end as they do.... Well it's time to make the long winding downhill drive back home, we have had a very special visit to see these incredible trees it is certainly a highlight of this long trip and as far as we are concerned a must see.... Tomorrow we move on south and then east to Barstow to overnight.... All being well more soon from The extremely Happy Travellers... |
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